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Say-na Sena: For every book or movie or nightclub, there’s a self-appointed Sena saying na na 😜

The Karni Sena is outraged by the film Padmavati. When it comes to a possible crush that sultan Alauddin Khilji had on a Hindu Rani, the Sena believes it’s time to say-na. The Karni Sena has even attacked a movie theatre that dared to show a trailer of the film and actor Deepika Padukone has been threatened. Padmavati may have broken Khilji’s heart, and she may also soon leave a trail of broken cinema complexes. Today there are many senas who have declared themselves protectors of Indian culture. The film Padmavati is seen to be injurious to Rajput pride, but what about the pride we Indians take in our rich tradition of movie-making? The Karni Sena is offended by any suggestion of carnal lust but the Karnis are positively carni-vorous when it comes to violence.

They are not alone. Remember the Sri Ram Sena (or Sene) which beat up young women who were seen wearing jeans and sipping a beer at a Bangalore pub? On modern women or medieval ranis, senas believe in being na-sayers.

Then there’s the Hindu Sena which has celebrated its hero Donald Trump’s birthday. There’s the Ranvir Sena which enforces upper caste writ through violence. There’s the Sambhaji Brigade (brigade being a loose translation of the word sena) which ransacked a research institute, so incensed was it by a book on Shivaji. Not to mention the boss of all senas, the Shiv Sena, which has not spared anyone from cricketers, actors, journalists, to writers, TV anchors, even visiting Pakistanis. Sena-ism is the Sena-sex of the cultural stock exchange. When senas play censors on books, movies and art then we are sena-tenced to remaining in a cultural prison. Arguing against a sena might leave you with bruises on your seena.

Politicians are powerless against senas because many netas are themselves senapatis. They often rail against Nobel laureate Sen but won’t attack senas. That’s because of the powerful votebank of hurt sena-timents. Law enforcing agencies are helpless too because policing culture is much easier than genuinely cultured policing. When it comes to morality cops, most politicians prefer to cop out. Who cares about a box office hit if the ballot box flops? Nobody is concerned that when Padmavati is actually released, audiences might vote with their feet anyway so the Sena is only helping the film to become a sena-sation. But today for every movie or book, there’s a sena saying na na.

DISCLAIMER : This article is intended to bring a smile to your face. Any connection to events and characters in real life is coincidental.

Author

Sagarika Ghose has been a journalist for almost three decades, starting her career with The Times of India, subsequently moving to Outlook magazine and The Indian Express. She has been a primetime news anchor and at present is Consulting Editor, The Times Of India. She is also a political commentator on the news channel ET Now. Ghose is the author of the recently published best selling biography of Indira Gandhi, "Indira, India's Most Powerful Prime Minister." She is also the author of two novels, both published worldwide.

Sagarika Ghose has been a journalist for almost three decades, starting her career with The Times of India, subsequently moving to Outlook magazine and The . . .

Author

Sagarika Ghose has been a journalist for almost three decades, starting her career with The Times of India, subsequently moving to Outlook magazine and The Indian Express. She has been a primetime news anchor and at present is Consulting Editor, The Times Of India. She is also a political commentator on the news channel ET Now. Ghose is the author of the recently published best selling biography of Indira Gandhi, "Indira, India's Most Powerful Prime Minister." She is also the author of two novels, both published worldwide.

Sagarika Ghose has been a journalist for almost three decades, starting her career with The Times of India, subsequently moving to Outlook magazine and The . . .